Leave without pay for officer

Veteran Schenectady cop accused of making false report on 9/11 call

By PAUL NELSON Staff writer

Published 10:16 am, Monday, January 3, 2011

SCHENECTADY -- The veteran city cop accused of making a false report about a fight at a popular downtown bar on New Year's night was suspended without pay pending the outcome of an internal probe, authorities said.

Patrolman Brendan Barrett, 39, was off duty when he allegedly made the 911 call around 7:10 p.m. Saturday and told a dispatcher at police headquarters that there was a fight inside Clinton's Ditch. However, the tavern at 112 College St. was all quiet, according to the owner and court records.

In an affidavit, Police Chief Mark Chaires said Barrett made the report despite knowing that no fight took place.

Barrett was arraigned Monday on a charge of falsely reporting an incident, a misdemeanor, by City Court Judge Guido Loyola. The officer was released without bail and is due back in court Jan. 24.

It's unclear what prompted Barrett to allegedly call about a fight.

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Clinton's Ditch owner Tim Trier acknowledged Monday that Barrett was at his business that night, but denied there was any kind of altercation.

"The only commotion was when police came thinking there was a fight," he said, adding that it was in the middle of their dinner hours.

Barrett, who was suspended for 30 days without pay, has been on the force since January 2000, according to city records. He previously worked as a correction officer for the Schenectady County Sheriff's Office.